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Deadwood, a vital component of forest ecosystems, constitutes a quintessential carbon reservoir that must be disclosed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This reservoir, comprising fallen logs, snags, and stumps, markedly affects carbon dynamics over decades. In this study, deadwood carbon stocks were quantified using data from 2674 sites in Japan surveyed between 2011 and 2015 via the National Forest Soil Carbon Inventory, and the deadwood carbon attributes in the country were explored. Deadwood were surveyed using the line intersect method for fallen logs and the belt transect method for stumps and snags. In Japan, the deadwood carbon stock (measured in t-C/ha) was quantified at 7.5 ± 9.74 (mean ± SD), with fallen logs at 3.26 ± 4.43, stumps at 2.45 ± 5.69, and snags at 1.80 ± 5.27, with significant differences detected among these stocks (p <.001). Considering deadwood carbon accumulation in Japan, planted forests exhibited a significantly larger (p <.001) deadwood carbon stock than natural forests. Moreover, planted forests exhibited a higher proportion of fallen logs than snags and stumps, indicating the effects associated with logs left on forest floors after thinning. Based on these findings, deadwood carbon stocks have the potential to bolster the validation and refinement of computational models used in carbon accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood is an important indicator of biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Identifying areas with large density of standing dead trees through field inventory is challenging, and remotely sensed data can provide a more systematic approach. In this study, we used metrics derived from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data (7.1 points m−2) and vegetation indices from optical images (HySpex sensor VNIR-1800: 0.3 m, SWIR-384: 0.7 m) to predict the presence of standing dead trees over a 15.9 km2 managed forest in Southern Norway. The dead basal area (DBA) of 40 sample plots was computed and used to classify the plots into presence/absence of standing dead trees. An area-based approach (ABA) using logistic regression was initially tested, but due to limited ground reference information, no statistically significant models could be formulated. A tree-based approach (TBA) was used to overcome this limitation. It identified trees on the ALS point cloud with a local maxima function and used a vegetation index to determine if the trees were dead. Between 18% and 42% of the predicted area with standing dead trees intersected a field recorded validation dataset. The TBA provided a good alternative to area-based regression models in the context of few standing dead trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood is one of the main indicators of forest biodiversity. Stag beetle (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) larvae are saproxylic organisms specialized in living in deadwood colonized by microorganisms; these beetles are bioindicators of forest integrity and are currently under threat by habitat loss, climate change and intensive forest management. A multi-year collection of data on the habitat and microhabitat deadwood-related requirements of Platycerus caraboides (Linnaeus, 1758) and Platycerus caprea (De Geer, 1774) in northern Italian forests has shed new light on the bio-ecology of these two reclusive species. They are predominantly found at medium to high elevations on north-facing slopes. Their presence – but not their abundance – is related the plant taxon, diameter and decay stage of the deadwood, predominantly belonging to the family Fagaceae but – a new finding – also to the family Salicaceae (Salix caprea L.). Both species prefer narrow, faded, soft, very powdery, humid logs. Based on these findings, forestry management strategies should not overlook the importance of fine deadwood in managing saproxylic biodiversity in European forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of forest nature reserves as refuges for biodiversity seems to be overlooked probably due to their small size. These, however, may constitute important safe havens for saproxylic organisms since forest reserves are relatively numerous in Europe. Saproxylic beetles are among the key groups for the assessment of biodiversity in forest habitats and longhorn beetles may play an important role in bioindication as they are ecologically associated with various microhabitats and considered a very heterogeneous family of insects. To study the role of forest reserves as important habitats for saproxylic beetles, we compared cerambycid assemblages in corresponding pairs of sites (nature reserves and managed stands) in a forest region under high anthropogenic pressure (Upper Silesia, Poland, Central Europe). Moreover, we also intended to assess the role played by these beetles as bioindicators in the different forest types from this area. According to the obtained diversity index values, the most valuable stands are located in nature reserves, whilst sites with the lowest value included managed forests together with two homogeneous and relatively recently established nature reserves. Our analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between deadwood volume and biodiversity, for both species richness and abundance. Our results indicate that the decisive factor is the type of a given habitat, whose characteristics can be mainly influenced/determined by forest management. The potential role of longhorn beetles as bioindicators is highlighted and the effectiveness of using traps in this family, as well as general issues regarding the use of non-selective lethal traps in the study of single invertebrate groups in protected areas are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necromass is crucial to understanding both carbon and nutrient cycling throughout the forest. In this study, we assessed the carbon stock and spatial distribution of necromass components in an Atlantic rainforest, southern Brazil, one hotspot of biodiversity. Necromass comprised: standing dead trees and stumps (SWN), large-sized woody necromass (LWN), medium-sized woody necromass (MWN), and litter (LTR). Specific sample designs assessed each component, while the Payandeh index indicated spatial distribution. Mean wood densities of LWN ranged from 0.24 to 0.46 g.cm−3, and mean carbon fraction ranged from 0.42 to 0.44 gC.g−1 d.m. depending on decay class. The total necromass carbon stock was 12.83 MgC.ha−1. SWN, LWN, MWN, and LTR carbon stores were 3.15, 4.24, 1.50, and 3.53 MgC.ha−1, respectively. LWN and MWN showed a reverse J-curve skewed carbon stock distribution and clumped spatial pattern. LTR presented asymmetric distribution and a random spatial pattern. Coarse and heavy necromass is clumped near dead trees, while the wind scatters fine necromass throughout the forest. This study provides useful information to the understanding of the carbon cycle in Atlantic rainforests and may be helpful to improve the Brazilian Inventory of Anthropogenic Emissions and Removals of Greenhouse Gases and the Global Forest Resource Assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This study investigated the ecology of two boreal-montane bryophytes, the saxicolous moss Bartramia halleriana and the epixylic liverwort Crossocalyx hellerianus, at the edge of their ranges, in oceanic deciduous woodland in Wales. Methods. The study site comprises two adjoining woodlands, Allt Penyrhiw-iar (canopy trees ca. 100 yr old) and Allt Rhyd Groes (ca. 200 yr), Carmarthenshire, UK. The distribution and abundance of B. halleriana and C. hellerianus was surveyed, relevés sampled to record habitat and community composition, and sporophyte frequency and stage of development measured. Light climate of B. halleriana was investigated via hemispherical photography, and abundance of large rotten logs used as a measure of habitat quality for C. hellerianus. Results. Four subpopulations of B. halleriana occured, comprising 21 individual-equivalents (occupied 1 m grid cells), all on mildly base-rich mudstone of north-facing rockfaces, with very little direct solar radiation and a diverse assemblage of bryophytes. Sporophytes were scarce. A total of 143 individual-equivalents (occupied logs or trees) of C. hellerianus was recorded, an exceptional population in Wales. Most of the population was within Allt Rhyd Groes, where large rotten logs were much more abundant due to greater woodland age. The liverwort mainly occupied the sides of decorticated rotten logs, amongst a sparse community composed mainly of other small liverworts and Cladonia lichens. Neither sporophytes nor perianths were found on C. hellerianus specimens. Conclusion. Further research could usefully focus on the description and measurement of favourable habitat conditions for each species and associated physiological tolerances to inform conservation decisions for both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunter's classification is the most adopted method for describing coarse woody debris (CWD) decay stages; however, wood chemical characterization is often lacking. This study explores the sugar profiles of living silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) trees and CWD samples in Hunter's five-decay stages, evaluating the trends and variability in sugar content in CWD samples during decomposition. Wood cores from living trees and CWD samples from two different forest sites in Trentino (Italy) were analyzed after extraction using ion-exchange chromatography, equipped with pulsed amperometric and charge aerosol detectors (IC-PAD-CAD). Detailed monosaccharides, disaccharides, and sugar alcohol profiles of living wood and CWD samples were described. Cellobiose, arabinose, maltose, and trehalose showed similar trend in both the sites. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted the good capability of sugar profiles to well characterize and discriminate silver fir wood samples among Hunter's categories of wood decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood is an important habitat for bryophytes in boreal and subalpine forests. The type of decay in wood (white, brown, and soft rot) caused by fungal colonizers has been revealed to affect bryophyte communities. However, little is known about the effects of decay type on the growth of bryophytes. We tested the effect of wood decay type on gametophyte growth for two common bryophyte species, Scapania bolanderi Austin and Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt., which dominate the logs in subalpine coniferous forest on Mt. Ontake, in central Honshu, Japan. We used pot culture experiments in an open-sky nursery field. After eight months of cultivation, the growth of S. bolanderi was larger on brown rot wood than white rot wood, but the growth of P. schreberi was not. Mixed cultures of the two species also showed greater growth on brown rot wood. However, growth of S. bolanderi was significantly smaller than P. schreberi in mixed culture. These results suggest that brown rot wood enhances growth of S. bolanderi, but growth may be reduced under competition from P. schreberi. The results are in agreement with the field observation that brown rot wood has a positive association with S. bolanderi coverage on deadwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National forest inventories are a primary source of data for the assessment of forest resources and lastly more often biodiversity at national scales. The diversity of adopted sampling designs and measurements reduces the prospect for a reliable comparison of generated estimates. The ICP Forest dataset represents a unique opportunity for a standardized approach of forest estimates through Europe. This work aims to provide a distribution map of the mean deadwood volume in European forest. A total of 3243 ICP Forests plots were analysed and presented. The study area extends over 3,664,576 km2interesting 19 countries. We observed that the highest percentage of plots show a deadwood volume lower than 50 m3 ha−1, with a few of forests attaining around the maximum of 300 m3 ha−1. Forests with more than 100 m3 ha−1are concentrated in mountainous regions, central Europe and other regions, linked to high-forest management types, while coppices-derived forest systems (part of the Great Britain, Mediterranean region) show lower deadwood content. The map of deadwood volume on European Forests is of interests for scientists, land planners, forest managers and decision-makers, as a reference for further evaluation of changes, stratified sampling, ground reference for model validation, restoration and conservation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tree retention practices promoting biodiversity may reshape future boreal forest production landscapes. Using the Heureka system, scenarios of 0%, 5%, and 20% retained patches at the stand level were projected over 200 years in a 533 ha boreal landscape. Visualizations of future forest states at a landscape scale and a more detailed scale were made based on the projections. The no retention results in no forest >120 years old, and no large trees (diameter at breast height >40 cm for conifers and >35 cm for broadleaved trees) 100 years from now. With retention levels of 5% and 20%, the area of old forest will comprise 7% and 19% of the total area, respectively. The average number of large trees per ha will be 4 and 13, respectively. Deadwood volumes will be 2.5 times higher at 5% retention and 4 times higher at 20% retention compared to no retention. Landscape visualizations indicate that retention patches covering 5% will marginally modify the visual impression, compared to clear-cuts, while 20% cover will create a much more varied landscape. We conclude that the retention approach is essential for restoring natural conditions. Landscape transformation will be slow and depend on starting conditions and retention levels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The current study concerns phoresy in uropodid mites on centipedes. Research was conducted for eight months (April–November 2006) in three habitat types, each exposed to different degrees of anthropogenic impact. The centipedes were collected monthly from all accessible microhabitats across the areas studied. We collected a total of 733 lithobiomorph centipedes representing three species. We found 43.8% of these individuals transported a total of 3376 specimens representing one Uropodina superfamily, i.e. phoretic deutonymphs ofOodinychus ovalis(CL Koch, 1839) (18%) andUroobovella pulchella(Berlese, 1904) (82%). Mites were found on nearly all (99%) studied individuals ofLithobius forficatus(Linnaeus, 1758). The number of deutonymphs on one centipede varied from 1 to 273 specimens. The dynamics of phoresy was different for both uropodid species and each of the studied areas. The two most important factors affecting phoresy of mites on centipedes were the type of a tree stand (presence of particular tree species and probably also afforestation density), and deadwood availability. The degree of anthropogenic impact seems to influence the intensity of carrier infestation. We observed that most of the phoretic deutonymphs were attached to the anterior and middle segments of the carrier’s body. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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An old-growth beech forest stand with silver fir within the strict forest reserve of Sasso Fratino has been examined with the following aims: to characterize forest stand on the basis of classic forest parameters and to assess forest stand structure by means of spatial functions; to provide genetic dating of the beech population. Total census of size and position of living trees and deadwood was performed on a 9200 m2 permanent plot. Vertical distribution of crowns in the stand was assessed using the TSTRAT function, horizontal stand structure using spatial point pattern analysis. Genetic dating was performed on a sample of beech trees. DNA was isolated and each individual was genotyped at four chloroplast microsatellite loci. Microsatellite profiles were compared with the profiles of control DNA of known haplotypes. Results show a multi-strata vertical structure, a horizontal structure characterized by small gaps (<160 m2) where silver fir regeneration sets in. Deadwood is present with all the decay classes and with relatively high volumes. Genetic dating ascribes the Sasso Fratino beech stand to the ancestral haplotype 2: this population can therefore be considered a hot spot of haplotype diversity of the glacial refugia present in central Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, silver fir – European beech forest types were examined in their structure and tree species composition. Two study areas, one in the Molise Region in Italy (Abeti Soprani) and one in the Dinaric Mountains in Slovenia (Leskova dolina), were compared in their dynamics and present structure. The aim of the study was to assess if a standardized field survey protocol can supply indicators related to forest structure and composition, and deadwood amount in two different Natura 2000 sites. The present structure and composition were evaluated on a 1-ha plot in each area. All live trees, standing and downed dead trees, snags, stumps, and lying coarse woody debris were censed. For each individual tree, the position within the plot, the species, diameter at breast height, height or length, crown structure and height, and decay level (only for deadwood) were recorded. The forest structure was influenced by past management, modifying the tree density, the amount of deadwood and the growth trends. The spatial distribution of trees and their vertical stratification show pluristratified stands with a mainly horizontal random pattern. The assessment of forest parameters in large plots could be an opportunity to evaluate the best choices for a nature-based silvicultural approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In northern Europe, the biologically rich European aspen (Populus tremula) tends to disappear both from intensively managed and strictly protected forests, thus representing a biodiversity conservation challenge. This study describes the distribution of Aphyllophoroid fungi inhabiting aspen in a hemiboreal mixed-forest landscape where clear-cutting was usually followed by natural regeneration. In a 4-km2 area in Estonia, 181 individual forest stands and cut areas were surveyed. Sixty-one percent of the 2831 live aspen trees found were concentrated in 11% of the area. Thirty-six polypore species were recorded on aspen, with old stands and naturally created deadwood hosting most species. Among the records of 14 pre-defined aspen-specific basidiomycetes, Phellinus tremulae comprised about 95%. Six species (Ceriporiopsis aneirina, Clavicorona pyxidata, Funalia trogii, Phellinus populicola, Rigidoporus corticola, Steccherinum pseudozilingianum) were infrequent to rare, but widely distributed, inhabiting various stand-age classes, and mostly occurring outside 'key habitats'. All the seven species absent are of conservation concern and frequent in Estonian old-growth forests. Thus, rotational management with natural aspen regeneration only provided habitat for some aspen-specific species. For sustaining all species, such landscapes should probably be complemented with stands managed using modified thinning and partial harvesting techniques in aspen-containing mixed stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how Deadwood (HBO, 2004-2006) revises the relationship between televisual history and the television Western. It argues that Deadwood, in reinventing the Western as a 'quality television' series, self-consciously undermines the generic conventions of the television Western and reconceptualizes the epistemological status of the Western genre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest deadwood is an important indicator of the biodiversity level because it provides habitat for many species. A wide range of plants and animals is strongly associated with standing and lying deadwood. Deadwood is also a fundamental component of nutrient cycles, regulates water flows, prevents soil erosion and contributes to carbon storage in the forest. In consideration of this last aspect a method is proposed to sample and analyse wood density in deadwood (standing and lying) at different rates of decay. The wood density provides valuable information needed to calculate carbon content of the deadwood. The method has been applied on seven alpine forest species (fir, spruce, Swiss pine, black European pine, Scots pine, European larch and beech) localized in several valleys of Trentino province in north-east Italy. Laboratory analysis of the sample deadwood determined the moisture content, fresh density and dry density. Moisture content was significantly higher in logs than in snags; moreover, this value decreased from the first to the third decay class and thereafter increased from the third to the fifth class. The dry density decreased at a constant rate from lower to higher decay classes. For all species the maximum percentage of dry density reduction is found between the fourth and the fifth decay classes. This study provides a preliminary data set on deadwood density, above all taking into account the increasing importance of the carbon content closely connected with this attribute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In northern Lao People’s Democratic Republic, rising human population has drastically reduced the fallow period of slash-and-burn agriculture which has led to a considerable decrease in the carbon stock in these communities. We estimated chronosequential changes in the communities' carbon stocks, and established the relationship between the fallow period and fallow-period-average carbon stocks in three carbon pools of bamboo-dominated communities in hilly areas of the Luang Prabang Province, northern Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Based on measurements by destructive sampling, we devised a model and root-to-shoot ratios for estimating bamboo biomass. In six secondary plant communities established after slash-and-burn cropping, we estimated community biomass using the above model and others, and measured deadwood and litter stocks. The communities’ biomass and deadwood significantly increased with time after the last cropping and the former reached about 100 Mg ha−1 after 15 years, whereas litter stocks did not show significant trends over time. Extending the fallow period from 2 to 5 years would increase fallow-period-average carbon stock from 14.2 to 25.1 Mg C ha−1. The overstory height was significantly correlated with biomass, deadwood, and litter carbon stocks of these communities. Based on our findings, changes in a community’s carbon stocks can be estimated using the changes in overstory height, which should be taken into account in future studies to reduce uncertainty in estimating carbon stocks in tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadwood is a key ecological factor in forest ecosystems. Its occurrence is fundamental since it represents a microhabitat for hundreds of species of invertebrates, fungi, bryophytes, lichens, amphibians, small mammals and birds. In recent years, deadwood has been recognized as a relevant indicator for the assessment and monitoring of forest biodiversity. In this paper the methodology for surveying woody necromass proposed by the ForestBIOTA project under Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003 (Forest Focus) is described. The amount of deadwood found on 91 Intensive Monitoring Level II plot of the EU and ICP Forest condition monitoring programme range from 0 to 258 m3 ha-1. In the examined areas, total deadwood volume does not differ significantly among forest types, due to the high intra-type variability. On the other hand, its distribution between coarse and fine necromass and among necromass components is highly dependent on forest types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]